


best laid plans

by CapnShellhead



Category: X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: Bad Matchmaking, M/M, Post-X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-03
Updated: 2017-07-03
Packaged: 2018-11-22 17:44:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11385201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CapnShellhead/pseuds/CapnShellhead
Summary: After hearing about Raven's memories of his father, Peter comes up with a plan.He just needs a little help from his friends.





	best laid plans

**Author's Note:**

> So, this takes place a few weeks after X-Men: Apocalypse. This was originally much shorter but once I started writing, I had to see Peter's plan through to the end.
> 
> I hope you guys like it!

Everyone says his father was different before.

He was still angry. Still unwavering in his quest to create peace for people like them by destroying the humans that took his family away from him. His first, his second with Charles and a third in Poland, which Peter had to hear about from Raven. That hurt.

The more Peter heard about his father’s life before Cuba, the more unbelievable it started to sound. His father used to smile? Used to laugh? “He used to make jokes and flirt, too,” Raven said with a reserved smile.

“Really? With who?”

“Me,” she answered with a thoughtful look. Then she grinned and added, “With Charles mostly.” At Peter’s curious stare, she elaborated, “I used to think he was just doing it to rile him up. Erik had that way about him, you know? Well, I suppose you don’t. See, he used to make these little snide comments about how Charles was an adorable little lab rat and used to give him these sly smiles over dinner. He always gave Charles shit for being a rich kid, too. He didn’t know anything about Charles’ childhood, though. Even I didn’t really know what it was like living with his step-father and his son.”

This was a lot for Peter to take in as he sat down next to her on the couch. “You said you used to think it was just to make fun of him?”

She smiled, lost in a memory Peter wished he was a part of. “Erik took me with him when he left Cuba but it was obvious it wasn’t _me_ he wanted with him. Charles brought out another side of him that no one else had in a very long time. I think… I think we might never see that side of him again.” She spared Peter another smile, pet him on the shoulder and left the room.

Peter’s mind moved faster than everyone else’s. A few minutes left to his thoughts was like hours and with hours of time, he came up with a plan. He would need a little help from some friends.

 

|X|

 

“You want to what?” Hank asked with wide eyes. Ororo and Jubilee were grinning, Jean and Scott looked rather uncomfortable and Raven was quietly laughing at him.

“I think they’d be good together. What’s so funny about that?” he asked defensively. He needed their help but he’d gladly press on without them if need be.

“It’s Charles and – and Erik!” Hank said, his hands shaking in frustration.

“Yeah, you said that. I realize that. You think it’s a bad idea?” he asked, looking to the others. The newbies all shrugged but Raven was quiet.

“I think it’s a terrible idea!” Hank exclaimed. “They’ve tried to kill each other how many times now?”

“For an international assassin wanted in several countries, seems like he’s pretty bad at his job,” Peter said. The newbies shrugged and looked on curiously. “Guys, help me out. You saw him out there; he came running when the professor needed his help.”

“He wouldn’t have needed Erik’s help if Erik hadn’t kidnapped him,” Hank cut in. “Why are you doing this?”

“He’s my dad, alright? And he’s broken and if I can do something-”

“You didn’t even know he was your dad until you met him.” Peter winced, lowering his eyes as Raven smacked Hank on the shoulder.

“I had ten years to think about that. How do you think I feel? I finally find my dad and then I find out he’s some kind of monster? Then the blue chick tells me he wasn’t always that way.” He looked up at Hank, his voice tense, “If he was your dad, what would you do?”

Hank went silent, looking to Raven for guidance as she leaned forward on the couch. “I think it’s a great idea,” she began. At the stunned silence, she let out a frustrated huff, “Charles gets so lost in his head sometimes… I know it’s hard to tell but he misses him. What they built together – we wouldn’t be here without him. This was Charles’ vision and he always wanted to share that with Mag – Erik. They’ve been through so much since then and you,” she looked to Hank, “You may think he’s just a monster but he’s not. If Peter thinks he can fix this, I’m on board. What do you need from me?”

Peter grinned, “Great! Can you pretend to be a CIA agent?”

 

|X|

 

Charles shivers, shaking the rain off of his umbrella as he enters his hotel room. There was freezing rain outside but he was here. Moira needed him to consult on a mutant in custody here in Paris. Naturally, he arrived just in time for a storm and she told him not to bother with it until morning. So, here he was freezing with no change of clothes, alone in Paris.

Although, he must say, the Eiffel Tower made a beautiful sight outside of his window.

“Shame to appreciate this view alone, isn’t it, professor?” Charles froze; he knew that voice. While once it had filled him with dread, now he was just curious. If Erik had tracked him to Paris for this impromptu mission, it must mean Erik had been watching him for some time now. Charles had been alone several times before this night so that must mean Erik didn’t intend to harm him.

“Hello, old friend,” he murmured as he dropped his umbrella by the door. He moved further into the room to see Erik nursing a drink on the couch. It was a decadent old thing; powder white leather with gold plating. This was a pretty extravagant room; it must’ve cost the CIA a pretty penny. Moira must’ve pulled some strings.

Erik made quite a sight stretched out on the couch. His legs crossed at the ankles, his clothing a dark contrast to the bright fabric beneath him. He’d returned to the svelte turtlenecks of old and it made him look like an assassin. And Charles supposed he was that. He wasn’t sure exactly where Erik had gone after Apocalypse but he doubted he’d taken up poetry. He’d kept out of the news. That much was good.

“Erik,” he greeted, coming closer to the couch. There was a cautious look in Erik’s eyes but rather than read him, Charles was determined to keep out of Erik’s head. “You look good.”

“You look tired,” Erik responded. Charles cringed inwardly, running a hand over his head. Erik followed the movement carefully, his fingers tightening around the glass. He used to love Charles’ hair. He never said so but he coveted it; his praise always on the edges of his thoughts. What did he think of Charles now that he’d lost it? “You should get more sleep.”

“Keeping an eye on me?” He came to a stop in front of Erik, his feet inches from him. It was the closest they’d been since he said goodbye.

“Would that surprise you?” Erik asked slyly. It was a non-answer but Charles figured there was no other way for him to have ended up here.

“Did you need something? Or did you just stop by to raid my mini bar?” His eyes narrowed, taking in Erik’s dry clothing. The rain appears an hour after Charles arrived; Erik must’ve been here loner than that.

“Can’t I chat up an old friend?”

“Will you let me know when they’ve arrived?” he remarks, turning around to fetch a towel from the bathroom. He hears Erik stand and sighs to himself. He grabs a large towel and dries himself off as best he can. He tugs off his blazer and pulls his wet shirt away from his skin.

“We were friends once, Charles.” His eyes are dark and hard to reads, his body tense as if expecting Charles to deny his words. Charles can’t. He was many things but he was not a liar.

“You betrayed that trust, Erik.”

Erik spared him a reproachful glance and turned away with a scoff, “If you want to get into the business of who betrayed who-“

“I don’t want to get into the business of anything. Not with you,” he snapped. “Why are you here?”

“You said – “ he cut himself off, voice rough He set his glass down and moves closer to Charles. “I came back for you. I helped you rebuild your dream. I saved your life. I need to know why.”

“Why what?” Charles asked, more confused than he was at the start.

“Why would I do that?” He moved further into the light and Charles was struck by how bright his eyes were. He hadn’t seen that kind of desperation on Erik’s face since he helped him move the satellite. He was looking for answers that Charles didn’t have.

He honestly didn’t know why Erik turned his back on Apocalypse.

“You know better than I do.” Erik watched for a long moment before nodding to himself.

“I shouldn’t have come.” He stood there awkwardly, his hands shifting as if wishing he had the glass in hand.

There was something in his voice that made Charles take pity on him. “Stay, stay. You’ve come all this way. Make yourself a drink.” Now Erik was staring at him with a strange look on his face. “What? I have a few hours. Might as well relax. Enjoy my first time away from a house full of kids. It’s been ten years.”

Erik smiled and pushed past Charles to fix them drinks. He waited until Charles was settled on the bed to hand one to him; bourbon, Charles’ favorite. “Ten years, is it? That’s a very long time.”

“It is. I’ve loved every second of it,” Charles said. He took a deep swig and sighed, leaning back into the pillows. He could feel Erik’s eyes on him as he spoke. The drink loosened his tongue somewhat. “They’re brilliant, Erik. Just brilliant! So many bright minds from so many different backgrounds; different abilities! Different ways, patterns of thinking! It’s amazing how they can all read the same books, hear the same lectures and interpret them in completely different ways. It’s exhilarating just watching them! They’re learning so much about the world and the people that live in it and I’m just so proud I get to see it. I get to be a part of it.”

He didn’t expect to say so much but the more he spoke, the more he realized how much he wanted to share this with someone else. He was proud of what he’d done; of what his kids were doing. And he’d really missed Erik. He looks over to see Erik watching him closely, his eyes soft. It was the same look he usually gave Charles right before teasing him about being a nerd. No bother, Charles would gladly sit here and listen to Erik tease him the way he had before. He’d missed that, too.

“I’m really happy for you, Charles.” He didn’t sound it with such a wistful tone. He finally dropped his gaze to his glass, leaving the warmth in Charles’ cheeks to cool some. “You’ve done so much for them. They all look up to you; I’ve seen it.”

“I never wanted to be admired. I just want to teach them – to help them – learn from them.” _Protect them,_ he thought. He was one of the most powerful mutants on the planet. It wasn’t hubris to think that; it was fact. Even so, he felt powerless when he thought about the threats outside his walls. Apocalypse was gone but there would be others. Other mutants, humans. They would come after his children because they were different; because the existence of power invited challenge. Charles was powerful but he’d never found himself in a situation where he needed to kill.

He’d spent some long nights thinking about how, in some ways, he actually admired Erik. He disagreed with the man’s methods entirely, but Erik would do anything, go to any length to protect his family. Charles prayed he would never find himself in a position where he was all that stood between a threat and his family.

“Just take the damn compliment, will you?” Erik chided fondly. He climbed on the bed next to Charles and lay down. They’d done this before Cuba a few times. It took a while before Erik would allow himself to get that close to Charles. Then they would just talk… for hours. Charles learned more about Erik from those conversations than he ever had getting inside of Erik’s head. “Have Hank and Raven…”

“No. God, no,” Charles groaned. “I hope not. She’s much too young.”

“Charles, she’s over thirty.”

“She’s always been nine in my eyes.” He turned to look at Erik, his face closer than it had been since those first few days together. It was strange seeing the passage of time on his friends’ faces. There were lines around Erik’s eyes, his mouth, and there was a touch of grey in his hair. His eyes were the same; they’d never lost their tenacity, their passion. The bright blue vibrant and as fierce as the thoughts swimming around behind them. In all his travels, Charles had never seen another pair of eyes quite like Erik’s. Certainly none that looked at him this way.

The way that said Erik had plans for him and none of them good.

“Erik,” he murmured. Only he didn’t know why; nothing was said. He blinked and in an instant, Erik’s face was inches away from his own. Those eyes fell to Charles’ nose, his lips before the lashes fluttered across Erik’s cheek. Then everything went dark as Charles’ eyes drifted shut and their lips touched. It was nothing like any kiss in Charles’ past. He felt consumed, netted. Erik’s mouth was soft, warm as he opened to welcome Charles in which was strange because, if asked, the last word Charles would use to describe Erik was “welcoming”. As if they’d switched abilities, Erik’s tongue slid into his mouth, sliding alongside his own and taking over like he was going to war.

Erik groaned, setting Charles’ glass aside to climb over him. He sucked hard on Charles’ tongue, gripping his face in rough hands. He drew a line of kisses down Charles’ face and neck before returning to his mouth. His hands gripped Charles’ hip, stoking a fire Charles thought had been lost forever, his cock hardening between them. It had been ages since he let someone else take care of him. He was much to busy to just go out and meet someone like he used to. And even then, he’d been so worried about their thoughts seeping into his head but with Erik… with Erik.

He moaned, his chest heaving as Erik’s hand slid down his chest. He looked up to see Erik watching him hungrily, unbuttoning Charles’ shirt. Charles would do anything to know what was doing in that head of his but he was almost too afraid to look. What if Erik was just using him? What if he was imaging him the way he was decades before he became this tired professor more apt to give a lecture than be anyone’s idea of a good time.

But what if he was doing this for the same reasons Charles was? What if this was exactly what Charles wanted it to be?

Erik’s fingers were rough as they teased a hardened nipple moments before his mouth closed over it. He pulls Charles shirt away from him, tossing it to the floor as if it offended him. He undoes Charles’ pants and captures his mouth again, teeth nipping at Charles’ bottom lip. He pulls Charles out, his hand tight around him as he starts to pump him quickly. Charles cries out, feeling around clumsily to return the favor. Erik’s hard in his pants as Charles slides a hand inside. Soon their shaking and shivering together, sweat sliding down Charles’ brow as he draws desperate sounds from Erik’s throat. He liked Erik like this; needy and desperate. It was a pleasant change of pace. He breathes into Charles’ ear, “Charles, say something.”

Charles pants, his heart hammering in his ears. “Like what? Would you like to hear a lecture on sixteenth century literature?” Erik huffs out a laugh and buries his face in Charles’ shoulder.

“If you can manage that right now, I’m clearly not doing my job right.” He grins down at Charles with that same toothy smile. It was the same smile from the day he turned the satellite. The same smile that made Charles realize Erik could be dangerous and he was hopelessly in love with him. Charles feels his balls tighten as he shudders and comes over Erik’s hand and his chest. Erik’s eyes slam shut, a hushed “mein gott” and he’s spilling over Charles’ hand in return, covering his wrist with it. He’s beautiful, vibrant, _electric_ , even in this. Charles can’t resist running his clean hand over his cheek, studying the way the lines on Erik’s face fade away.

When he comes down, he’s panting into Charles’ mouth before capturing it in another kiss. He presses his forehead to Charles’ and sighs heavily. “I’ve missed you. My god, Charles… it’s been too long.”

“It’s been three months.” He feels Erik’s glare and smiles, his eyes close. “I’ve missed you, too.” Erik moves off of him, to Charles’ disappointment. He doesn’t go far, reclaiming his place beside Charles on the bed as he stares up at the ceiling.

“I couldn’t watch you die,” he says suddenly, turning to face his bedmate. “In all our fighting, I only ever wanted you to see my side of things. I never wanted you hurt.”

Some of the bitterness returns and part of him wants to scream at Erik. Part of him wants to force him to see that he’s the reason Charles is in that chair. But he can hear the unsaid words between them. Erik never wanted Charles to get hurt but he’d been hurt all the same.

The past was the past and tonight… they were in Paris.

“I wanted you by my side, Erik. We want different things.”

“We wanted different things.” He studied Charles, choosing his words carefully. “We both want to protect them. To create a safe world for mutantkind. We can agree on that even if we can’t agree on the best way to do that.”

“You’ve stayed out of the papers,” Charles says. Erik’s eyes harden for a moment. “Your family… Erik I’m so sorry.”

“I’m sorry, too, Charles.” He paused, then, “You see now why I can’t work alongside them? They’re monsters. They’d kill us if they had the chance.”

“I can’t believe that.” He shook his head, surprised to find this conversation that different from the last. Perhaps because he found the wounds had healed some over time. If Erik left here just as sincere in his own beliefs as he’d been when he entered, Charles wouldn’t take it personally. “There are good people, Erik. You can’t punish them all for the acts of a few.”

“And when it’s not a few? When there are hordes of them who take it upon themselves to hurt people like us? What then? You’ve been lucky; they haven’t come for your children-“

“But someone did. Apocalypse did. He was one of us. There are good and bad in any group. You know that better than anyone,” Charles finished. He yawned, rolling over to face Erik. The soft look had returned only now, as tired as he was, Charles could feel his walls slipping, his thoughts blending with the loudest of Erik’s. He was astonished by what he found there: protectiveness, stubbornness, _fondness_. A jumbled mess of broken off words, endearments in German as in English, threatening to surround Charles’ intrusion in his mind. He’d fought so hard to keep them out when they’d met but Erik was letting him in, now. “Why did you come here?” he whispered.

Erik’s eyes widened ever so slightly but he answered all the same. “I came back for you.” He moved in closer to press a kiss to Charles’ head before settling there. Charles pressed his face into his neck, a sliver of confusing thought passing from Erik’s tired mind to his own, _I’m glad you called._

 

|X|

 

When Charles returned without his father, Peter’s face fell but he put on a neutral expression. “How was your trip, Professor?”

“Wonderful, Peter. Just wonderful,” he murmured with a bright smile. “It was the most curious thing: I was sent there for a job but when I called Moira for the briefing, she had no recollection of it. There wasn’t even a prisoner called Lorna Dane in the facility. No matter, I had a brilliant time anyway.”

He moved past Peter, that dreamy smile on his face and Peter shook off the initial urge to tell the professor not to look so damn smug. His plan had been half a success. He just needed to tweak it some and then he’d have his father back in no time.

 

|X|

 

“But I don’t have trouble flying,” Ororo insists confusedly. Peter sighed in response; he needed Ororo. Jean was the professor’s pet and she would never go along with this. Raven wouldn’t be any help because shapeshifter or not, she couldn’t fly. He needed Ororo. Plus, even she had an insight into his father’s life that Peter would never have. She’d seen him shortly after he lost his wife and child and she still greeted him with a smile when he was there helping to rebuild the mansion. She had to help him. “Peter, are you still trying to play Parent Trap with those two?”

“Yes, will you help me?” He put on his most pathetic expression and watched her doubts slowly fade into sympathy. Either she was about to lecture him or agree to this plan. He hoped it was the latter. He waited for a moment before she sighed and pulled into a one-arm hug. He normally didn’t let people hug him, although to be fair, no one really tried. She nodded at him with a smile and left the room.

 

Charles felt Erik before he saw him.

Erik had a mind like no other and sometimes Charles swore he could feel shadows of it, remnants of his unique thoughts in his peripheral, even when Erik must have been leagues away. Now, he felt it stronger than usual, tugging at him, pulling him away from his lecture as he caught a string of frustrated thoughts. _That fence needs reinforcing. The security system could use a little bit of work. He certainly has the money for it._

Wait, Erik was here?

“Professor?” Jubilee asked, eyes wide with concern. “Are you alright? You look a bit flushed.”

“I’m great. I’m perfect… ly fine, I mean. I’m fantastic, just wonderful. Class dismissed,” he said with a rush of breath, his heart pounding in his chest. Kurt sighed in relief and Charles remembered they were due to give presentations today. He’d ended the class forty minutes early. He watched the class file out quickly and cursed silently. Well, the horses had left the stables; he couldn’t rein them in now.

He gathers his things and makes his way to the front gates, nearly mowing down Hank as he did. “Professor? You’re in a hurry. Everything okay?” Charles mumbled something in response and continued past him. _It still looks the same. Could do with more security, I always say. Wish he’d let me put some cameras in when I was here last time. Old fool._ Charles rolled his eyes as he made it to the doors.

Erik was offering a hand to Ororo as they made it to the practice field. What was going on?

He moves around to the landing looking out over the field where he can see Erik rise carefully, inches above the ground. Ororo follows suit, stumbling slights as she tries to copy him before moving several feet above much more smoothly. He carefully chides her. Charles can’t help but listen in, moving closer as he does.

“The key to this is control. This is how high you rise without thinking. I want you to concentrate on simply hovering for the moment.” His voice was calm and related, a kind of tone Charles hadn’t heard him use since they were working with their first students.

“But I _can_ go this high. Why would I want to stay close to the ground?”

“Sometimes an inch can mean the difference between death and survival.” He gestured down the field to the mansion. “If you and another flier are in the field and neither of you can control your flight, you become a liability. The more control you have, the better an asset you become.”

She nodded attentively, more relaxed and open than Charles had seen her get around anyone else. It was strange to think about it this way but she was actually more comfortable around Erik. She lowered herself to the ground to start again. The next attempt was a little sloppy, with Ororo hovering for a few minutes before falling again. It seemed a few inches was much more difficult than a few feet. She stumbled quite a few times and Erik was nothing but patient. It was then that Charles remembers he had lost a daughter before. Seeing him like this, it wasn’t hard to think of him as a father. Charles felt a flash of warmth seeing that familiar uptick in the corner of Erik’s mouth when Ororo wobbled but managed to stay afloat a few inches above the ground. Her cautiously proud smile made Erik’s small smile widen.

They practiced more, rising higher and higher. Once they passed the second story of the mansion, Erik was very careful with her. His hands outstretched, ready and poised to catch her by the metal zippers of her leather jacket if need be. The first time, she was stunned and nearly lost control entirely as Erik righted her gently in the air. By the third time, she got used to it and moved with more confidence. Soon, they were moving like a team, moving around the field like they’d been flying together for a long time.

Charles wasn’t sure how long he watched them. Long enough for the sun to go down, long enough for Jean to come fetch him for dinner. He moved down the ramp to the two in the field with a nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach. Ororo gave him a brief smile and a hug for a bemused Erik before leaving them alone.

“You’re really good with her,” Charles began. If only to see the bashful expression on Erik’s face as he waves him off. “She’s quite taken with you.”

“She knows me,” Erik explained. He starts towards the house again, his back straight. “We went through some of the same things. She’s lived an interesting life.”

“I can only imagine.” He gestured for Erik to move ahead of him up the ramp. “She’s wary of everyone around here. I’m glad she trusts you.”

Erik nods solemnly as they stop outside the doors. Then Charles takes his hand, “Will you… stay for dinner?” Sensing Erik’s reservation, he adds, “It’s late. It’s dark out and you’ve been at this for hours. Stay, refuel, give me someone over thirty to talk to at dinner.”

“You almost had me until that last bit. I’m not here to make you feel like an old man, Charles. You do that well enough on your own, Cue Ball.” Charles glared at him playfully but smiled when Erik followed him in.

 

Admittedly, he wasn’t pleased to wake up alone the next morning but it was almost worth it to see Erik smiling up at him hesitantly across the dinner table.

 

|X|

 

Charles should have known better.

Of course Jean, Scott, Jubilee and Kurt would sneak out again. Still, he expected better from Jean. She was his best student and she was the most sensitive to his moods. Largely because of their mental connection but she seemed to take it to heart more than the others when he was stern with them.

When he woke up to Hank’s knock on the door and a concerned Ororo standing next to him, he didn’t know what to expect. An attack? A case of food poisoning? A nightmare leading to someone burning down a dorm room again? Instead, Hank said, “They snuck out to go to a Billy Idol concert. I tell you Charles, they’re worse than Al-… we were.”

Charles felt Hank’s pain and took it in with his own. It wasn’t easy walking past Alex’s old room and remembering how they’d lost him. As much as he was cautiously optimistic about working things out with Erik, it was hard to look at him and not remember how Alex died. “They’re teenagers. What if something happens to them? Their parents are trusting them in our care. I’ll get dressed.”

“I called Erik,” Ororo said suddenly. She was wringing her hands, eying him as though she expected him to yell at her.

“You what?” Hank asked. Charles was just confused. In what way was adding Erik to this situation a good idea? He couldn’t even picture Erik at a concert.

As if hearing Charles’ thoughts, there was a sound of a loud crunch outside. Charles moved over to the windows, Hank and Ororo behind him as they looked to see what caused it. Charles could make out shadows crossing in front of the headlights as one of Charles’ parents’ cars sat in the driveway. That crunch hadn’t sounded too good and Charles hoped Erik had been careful with the suspension.

Charles, Ororo and Hank were waiting in the foyer by the time the front door opened. Jean, Scott, Kurt and Jubilee marched in, in single file, with forlorn looks on their faces. Upon seeing Charles, they all lowered their heads and mumble apologies. It was Kurt’s that nearly drew a laugh from Charles. “We are very sorry for our behavior, Professor Xavier. It was childish and we shouldn’t have made you worry.” Perhaps it was the low tone of repetition or Erik nodding slightly in the background but Charles doubted Kurt came up with one word of that apology on his own.

“It’s alright, children-“

“Alright?” Erik repeated, Hank following suit. “They’re underage.”

“We’ve all snuck out once or twice,” Charles said with an encouraging smile as Jubilee finally took her eyes off of the carpet. He remembered Raven, Hank, Angel, Sean, Hank, Darwin, and Alex staring at him wide-eyed after they got drunk and started dancing on tables at the CIA. Thinking back, he wished he’d let them have more fun before everything got so serious and they weren’t allowed to be kids again. “The important thing is that you’re all safe. Now, please head up to bed. You’ve got class in the morning.”

They all followed Hank up the stairs, confused but relieved to get off rather easily. Charles couldn’t really say why he was more inclined to be lenient tonight. The first time Raven snuck out, he didn’t talk to her for days.

Ororo pulled Erik into a hug, said her thanks and followed after them. How she’d found out about the concert, Charles would never know. Erik watched her leave before coming closer to Charles. He must’ve found out rather early or been close by if he was available to help out.

“Thanks, Erik.”

“You’re too nice to them. They’ll walk all over you if you let them,” he chided quietly. His eyes were warm as they trailed over Charles’ face.

“They’re kids. They make mistakes.” He shrugged slightly and offered, slightly embarrassed, “I’m not their father.”

“You don’t believe that,” Erik said calmly.

Charles hummed, “Ororo called you?”

“She was worried. She does that.”

“Worry? Or call you?” he asked, concerned about the first.

“Both.” He gave a wry smile. “It’s weird having someone care about me again. Since… Poland, I’ve been on my own.”

Charles felt a pang in his chest, his voice hoarse, “It doesn’t have to be that way.”

Erik smiled again, leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Charles’ forehead. “It does.” He turned to leave, “Goodnight, Charles.”

Charles watched him go, wishing he could call him back. Peter watched from the stairs, understanding for the first time why Raven agreed to help him.

 

|X|

 

“I don’t get it. What am I doing wrong?” Peter thought as he paced his room. He’d tried an international vacation, luring his father here to help an old friend, he’d considered putting Charles in some kind of faux peril but Raven had threatened to toss him from the rooftop. He needed something to convince Erik to stay instead of returning to whatever evil lair he’d built on some far away island. He hadn’t confirmed it but he knew Erik’s skin was browner than it had been before. He doubted his father was frequenting tanning salons.

He turned to the pinboard he’d created when he started this endeavor. He’d thought about locking them in a closet together but he knew the professor got claustrophobic rather easily. Maybe tying them together? How would he get them in the same place? Maybe if one of the students was in danger-

“Don’t even think about it,” Peter turned to see Charles sitting in his doorway. How he’d managed to sneak up on the speedster, Peter would never know but he hurried to take down his pinboard. Charles was still sitting there watching him suspiciously. “I know what you’ve been doing, Peter.” He gestured to his head.

“Planning a vacation?”

“Planning to lock me in a closet with Magneto,” he answered blandly. “What is this? Do you not like me?”

“No! No!” Peter hurried to say, moving to the doorway so quickly that Charles reared backwards slightly.

“Do you want him to kill me?”

“Of course not!”

“Do you want me to kill him?”

“No!”

“Then why?” he asked. Peter didn’t understand why he didn’t just pull the information he wanted to know. Almost as if hearing him, and perhaps he had, Charles explained, “I don’t try to intrude, you know? Sometimes, your thoughts are so loud I can’t block them out. They’re much faster than everyone else’s so I usually can’t make heads or tails of them.” His eyes were bright and patient as he waited for Peter to explain.

“I want him to stay here… with us,” Peter said quickly.

“For entertainment value?”

Peter sighed and returned to the, now empty, board. “He’s my father, okay?” He picked at a crack on his desk. “I want to know him. The way he was before he became Mr. Evil Overlord.” He looked to Charles who was watching him with a stunned expression. “Say something.”

“I,” Charles gaped, his hands still in his lap. He ran a hand over his head, eyes wide. “I’m sorry. I honestly don’t know what to say. I didn’t know.”

“Surprising. I thought Raven told everyone,” he murmured. He heard Charles come up behind him.

“I don’t know why you think you need me involved but… Peter, you’ve overlooked the most obvious reason for him to stay.”

 

  
Erik was nervous.

Charles’ letter had read “Meet me at 8” and that was all he wrote. No location, no sign off, nothing to imply what this was about. He’d worn a turtleneck and slacks, his overcoat in case they were to leave the mansion. Part of him wondered if Charles was calling him to tell him what happened the last few times they met could never happen again. Another part of him wondered and maybe hoped that Charles would ask him to stay.

The closer he gets to the entrance, the faster his heartbeat. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this kind of nervous. Only Charles made him feel this way.

When he makes it to the steps, the door opens in a flash. He peers inside but there’s no one in the foyer. Not even one of Charles’ wayward students to gawk at him in awe or fear. He slides inside, wondering if he’d made a mistake and Charles had called him here to kill him. _No,_ , he thought, _Charles would never do that where the children might see_.

Someone clears their throat behind him and he turns around to see Charles coming towards him. He was smiling, that must be a good sign, Erik thinks. Charles glances over his shoulder and in a flash Erik nearly misses, one of Charles’ students shows up at his side. Erik can’t help the disappointment; he’d thought this would be a dinner between just the two of them. He puts on a brave face and instantly regrets it when the boy’s face twists.

His hair is grey, his eyes cautious as he studies Erik expectantly. Then Erik remembers, “Peter, was it? You broke me out of prison.”

He laughs awkwardly, “Shoulda asked what you did before I did that, huh?” At Erik’s silence he coughs nervously. “Yeah, I’m Peter. Peter Maximoff.” He salutes awkwardly and waits as if the name should spark some recognition. It doesn’t.

Erik looks to Charles who is watching Peter fondly. Then he pushes the boy forward calmly. “What is this?” Erik asks, looking from Peter’s downturned face to Charles’ encouraging one.

Peter finally looks up at Erik and says in a flurry, “See, the thing is, a long time ago, well not that long, I’m only thirty, you and my mom well, you know, you know? And then she had me and she would never talk about my father so I thought he must’ve been some kind of deadbeat but one day she said he could move metal just by looking at it and I thought she was kidding, who can do that? It’s not exactly normal. Then my speed came and _I_ wasn’t exactly normal and I thought maybe she was telling the truth and then the professor and that hairy guy came to get me to break you out of prison and I saw what you could do and I asked her, I asked my mom if you were _the_ guy and you’re the guy. You’re my dad.” He took a deep breath, and added nervously, “Aren’t you?”

It took a moment for Erik to discern what exactly this kid was trying to say, the words flying past him so quickly he caught every other word. Finally, it sunk in and he took a step back.

Erik felt like he’d been punched in the gut.

He’d felt like this three times before. Once when he’d lost his mother, once when Charles collapsed on the beach and a third time when his wife and child were taken away from him. It wasn’t just shock, it was speechlessness, pain, _fear_. He couldn’t move, his feet rooted to the spot as he stared at this kid who was watching him like whatever Erik said next would change his life.

Charles came forward and took his hand, his eyes bright as he stared up at Erik. There was no surprise on his face; he’d heard this story before and Charles knew, in his own way, what Erik had lost. He would know better than to let subject Erik to a joke like this, rivalry or no. No, this must be true. Or at least, this kid must’ve believed it was true.

“You’re… who-” He cut himself off. He wasn’t that kind of man, who’d slept around so often that he wouldn’t remember the name of the woman he’d fathered a child by. Faces ran through his mind until he settled on one. A woman he’d met one lonely night in a bar, long brown hair and a laugh that filled every room and the hollow space inside his heart. He’d loved her and then he left her because he still had men to hunt. “Nadia,” he whispered.

Peter’s eyes went wide and then glassy as he nodded excitedly. Erik’s hands clenched, his heart pounding in his chest as he looked to Charles for guidance. He nodded at Peter with an encouraging smile and Erik took his advice. He came closer, Peter’s eyes widening as he settled a broad hand on his shoulder. The boy was his height, his eyes eager and bright as Erik squeezed his shoulder. His voice was hoarse when he spoke, “Son.”

A flash and Erik found himself pulled into a hug, “Hi, Dad.”

 

Dinner was a blur. Sometimes literally as Peter got quite excitable telling Erik the story of his life. He didn’t mind; he wanted to know everything there as to know about this kid. His son. He had a son.

He’d had a son for quite some time now and he was just now learning about it.

He had to admit, some of the old anger was returning. There had been no way for him to know but Nadia had known and it wasn’t like Erik had been hiding in the shadows. She could have told him if she’d wanted to. _Ever think maybe she just didn’t want you to be around him? You’re not exactly Father of the Year,_ he thought.

He followed Charles up to his room after, his head swimming with thoughts and feelings too rapid to name. He sat down heavily on the edge of the bed as he listened to Charles getting ready for bed. He’d imagined himself here several times all those years ago. He’d lie awake in bed and think about Charles’ smile, his strong hands running through his hair as he studied their chessboard, the teasing glint in his eyes as he poked fun at Erik’s seriousness. That man wasn’t gone… he was just different now. He’d made a life here and Erik wasn’t a part of it.

“Erik, are you alright?” Erik looked up to see Charles in front of him, his blue eyes wide with concern. In striped pajamas, he looked like a dad from the 1950s getting ready for bed. It was rather adorable, he thought with a smile.

“I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not. You just found out you have a son.” He came forward and set a palm on Erik’s thigh. “Anyone would have some trouble wrapping their head around that.”

“I’m not just anyone, am I, Charles?” He shook his head and lowered his eyes to Charles’ hand. He covered it carefully, his heart beating faster. “Might be better off if he’d never found out. I can’t exactly take him to the park to play catch.”

Charles was quiet for a long time and then he took Erik’s hand in his own and kissed his palm. “I don’t think Peter wants to play catch with you.”

Erik stared at him, his heart pounding as he took in Charles’ closeness, the furrow of his brow, the bow of his lips. The way his eyes widened slightly just before Erik pulled him in and kissed him.

 

|X|

 

Erik sat up and watched the sun rise outside of Charles’ window. He shivered in the chilled air, longing to climb back beneath the covers but he had to go soon. He had to say, he’d travelled the world and stayed in several hotel rooms, in several countries. He’d seen the sun rise over the mountains in Switzerland, grassy plains in Ireland, crashing waves in New Zealand. Even after all of that, he’d missed this sight. He’d missed seeing the tall trees that led up to the satellite, his first feat, and remembering how Charles had made him feel. How he’d given Erik that piece of his past back.

The covers behind him rustle and he turns with a tired smile. Charles is lying on his back and comfortably bundled up in the blankets. Charles’ eyes remain closed as he speaks, “You can’t keep doing this.”

“You invited me up for a drink.”

“It was a courtesy. It wasn’t some secret code for ‘take my clothes off’,” he mumbles as he turns over to face him. Finally, he opens his eyes and Erik is pinned in place by a solid glare. “And I meant that you can’t keep coming and going like this.” At Erik’s raised brow, he winces, “So to speak.”

“What would you have me do, Charles? Take up a teaching post and move in with you? I’m sure the parents would be thrilled about Magneto teaching their children times tables.”

“That’s Hank’s job and he’d thank you to choose another subject.” Erik tossed a pillow over his face and laughed softly at the curse he got in return. “You don’t have to stay _here_ here if you don’t want to. But you don’t have to go so far. You don’t have to go back to your island.”

Erik’s eyes narrowed, “I thought you promised not to read my mind.”

“I haven’t. You’re clearly getting lots of sun and you smell of saltwater. It’s either an island or a beach on the coast and I know about your flair for the dramatic. You’d claim an island and exile yourself.”

Erik didn’t have the heart to take away the smile on Charles’ face with the confession that he’d lost the taste for beaches since Cuba. Instead, he scoffed, “I’m not dramatic.”

“You made yourself a little outfit complete with a matching cape. You’re a drama queen and everyone knows it,” he responded wryly and Erik leaned over, intending to flick his nose or something equally annoying but he surprised them both by kissing Charles’ forehead. He wanted to wake up like this more often.

He wanted to wake up like this everyday.

“I really must be going,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to Charles’ frown.

Charles leveled him with a look, his eyes ponderous, “Peter just wants to know you, Erik. A few weekends out of the year are not enough.”

“Raven’s been filling his head with stories. He _thinks_ he wants to know me.” He lowered his eyes to his hands. He had regrets but killing Schmitt was not one of them. Neither was killing the men that had taken his family from him in Poland. He’d only ever regretted the harm done to his loved ones. Those things he couldn’t control.

Angel. Azazel. Emma. Banshee. Nina. Magda.

They were gone.

But Charles was here. Peter was here.

Maybe he would never truly do right by them… but he could try.

What kind of man would he be if he didn’t at least try?

His vision swims as he wipes angrily at his eyes. “He can do a great deal better than me.”

“I’d say so,” Charles says quietly. “He could do a great deal worse.”

Erik looked over at him, blinking as Charles swipes a thumb under his wet cheek. His hands are warm on Erik’s face where his gaze is hardened. Erik’s heart clenched, his belly burned with anger. He didn’t know much about Charles’ stepfather but he knew enough to know that Charles only brought them here because they needed the space. Were it up to him, Charles would’ve never set foot inside this place again.

Charles took a deep breath, his eyes softening, “There’s still good in you. I know it.” His voice was strong, confident where Erik was anything but. “If you won’t stay for me, do it for him.”

“What do you think this is, Charles? Did you think we were going to be a little family?” He gestured to the window. “After everything with Apocalypse, I’m wanted even more than before.”

Charles stared at him for a long moment, not saying a word until Erik started to shift uncomfortably. Then the corner of his mouth turned up as he said, “You do this thing when you want to say ‘yes’ to something. When I asked if you wanted to stay for dinner or if you wanted to come for a drink with me or if you wanted ice cream for dessert,” he laughed softly, “You come up with every reason why you can’t and none of the reasons why you should.”

Erik swallows, “You gave me two.” He lowers his eyes, “And while compelling, these obstacles won’t just go away.”

“Neither will we.” He waited until he had Erik’s full attention again. “I won’t deny that I spent many nights wishing I could stop caring about you. It felt like everything you did out there was my fault for asking you to work with the CIA. You’ve done some horrible things but you’ve done some wonderful things, too. I want Peter to know that side of you. He should know his father.” Erik turned away from him and Charles let out a frustrated huff, “Erik, are you even listening to me-“

“Okay, okay, herrgott,” he muttered. “One week.” He turned to Charles, propping his leg up on the mattress. Charles was watching him carefully, as he added, “Just one. For Peter.” _And for you,_ Erik thought.

“For Peter,” Charles repeated. He lay back down and closed his eyes. “Now, it’s Saturday and I would like to go back to sleep. I’ve spent all morning arguing with an cranky old man and I’m tired.”

“Old? I’m old? You’ve got reading glasses on the bedside table,” he muttered, pulling the covers back over himself. The warmth was back and it was spreading through him like a flame. An overenthusiastic man might call this joy.

Charles burst out laughing and pulled the covers down to look at him, eyes bright with mirth, “Erik, those are yours!”

 

|X|

 

This was their first outing since Peter’ put his plan into motion.

The government finally had an operating Sentinel to release into the world and it came after the children on a trip to the mall. Peter was with them, thank God. Charles refused to let the children go out without an adult and Peter was as close to that as they were going to get mid-day. He had escorted Jean, Scott, Jubilee, and Kurt to the mall when the Sentinel attacked. Jubilee got separated from the group and trapped in a department store fleeing the monstrosity and Charles hears about this from Jean once she links him in.

Charles was midway through a lesson plan when he hears her panicked voice in his head and though he’s calm in response to her, he’s worried, as well. Raven and Hank have been training them for months and they were getting better but they were children. His children. He hoped they’d never have to put their training to use.

He ended class early and left the room looking for Ororo. He found her in the hallway talking to some other students. He hated having to drag her away now that she’d finally started to make friends but he needed her help.

 

When Erik arrives, he’s worried and doing a tremendous job hiding it. Charles can hear the worried, jumbled mess of his thoughts even as he does his best to keep his mental walls up. Erik rushes over and pulls Charles into his chest, the smell of saltwater in Charles’ nose as he does. He doesn’t seem uncomfortable with Ororo watching him do this but Charles doesn’t have time to dwell on how that makes him feel.

“We have to get out there.”

“I’ll go. You and Ororo stay here in case they send more after the children. Tell me, Charles, and this is important, can any of them fight?” he asked urgently.

“No. They know how to use their abilities somewhat but they’re _children_ , Erik.”

Erik shook his head, frustrated as he replied, “They’re mutants, Charles. They need to be able to defend themselves. The world certainly won’t.” He looks to Ororo, her face serious as she holds his gaze. “Protect them.” His tone was loaded with intention and Charles could hear the unspoken _protect him_. He was too worried about the children to be annoyed. “If need be, rain thunder and lighting down on them. I know you can,” he said immediately after, hearing Ororo start to object. “I trust you. You can control it. You can’t be afraid to use your gifts. Don’t let Apocalypse take that away from you.”

Charles was stunned as he watched Ororo freeze, her eyes wide and guilty before she nodded. “I will protect them. Now go, go,” she said, hurrying outside. Erik spared Charles one more concerned look before leaving, taking to the skies the moment he was outside.

 

Peter was still rounding up civilians and gathering them in the food court after the attack started. He would’ve thought the government goons would know better than to send a Sentinel to attack in the middle of a crowded shopping mall but apparently not. He told Scott, Jubilee and Jean to hide while he and Kurt started getting people to safety. Ironically, he was protecting more humans than this robot.

He’s cleared the second floor when there’s a sound of crunching metal and his father lowers himself onto the landing. He smiles, even hearing the gasps and screams behind him. His father comes over and places a heavy hand on his shoulder. He doesn’t ask if Peter’s okay, he checks him over, nods to himself and faces the Sentinel.

And there it is.

The slightest hint of a sneer, the dangerous glint in his father’s eyes that sends a chill through Peter’s body. The others had been right about this.

His father was scary.

But he was being scary at this giant, mutant-hating, murderous robot so it was a good kind of scary. Peter was used to protecting himself or getting out of jams where he couldn’t fight back. He wasn’t used to someone else coming in and protecting him. It was weird. It was nice.

Erik reached out and, with a few rapid, vicious movements, tore pieces of nearby walls and slammed them into the Sentinel. The material didn’t do much to harm the machines but the force pushed them back. Erik continued to do this until the robot was safely away and then he gathered more pieces of metal, compiled them and brought them down over the top of the Sentinel. It crumbled like paper, making Peter wonder just how heavy that ball of scrap metal was.

A hush fell over the crowd as Jean, Kurt and Scott ran over to meet them. Peter turned, his heart pounding as he searched for Jubilee. He left word with his father and searched the lower levels for the missing students He found her in the back corner of the Disney store huddled around a small child. The child clung to her, his hands covered in what looked like, “Is that… ice?”

“It just happened. That thing came after him, he got scared and his hands turned to ice. Can you maybe,” her teeth chattered as she hurried to continue, “Take him for a minute. My arm is going numb.”

 

“What of the child?”

“His name is Bobby. His parents don’t know,” Charles explained. “His manifestation was brought on by stress and once things calmed down, the ice melted away. He’s a little young but I’ll extend a formal invitation. I hope he can attend. He’s grown quite fond of Jubilee.”

“She’s a sweet young girl,” Erik agreed as he slumped down on the bed and he took off his shoes. He ran a tired hand over his head and sighed. “These kids don’t know what’s out there, Charles.” His hands moved in a flurry of motion, the way they did when he was really riled up about something. Charles watched him fondly. “If I hadn’t been there…” he shook his head. It was unthinkable. Peter was good at search and rescue but not so much at fighting. Jean didn’t trust herself not to lose control when there were civilians around. Kurt’s ability was more geared toward getting others to safety and Scott was still learning control. If something like this happened again?

“You do.”

“What?” Erik asked, stumbling out of his thoughts.

“You know what it’s like out there.” He moved closer to Erik on the bed. He laid a hand on Erik’s shoulder. “I pray they never have to go through what you went through.” They're missing something here. Something Raven could teach but not as well as Magneto, who’d taught her. A place for Erik. If he wanted it. “You can train them.”

“Raven can-“

“Raven learned from you. And she wants to travel the world protecting mutants I can’t get to. Erik,” he waited until Erik turned to look at him. “You’re here. There’s a place for you… should you choose to take it.”

“The parents-“

“I can talk to them.”

“The children are scared of me.”

“They weren’t when you helped rebuild the mansion.”

“Hank-“ Charles cut him off with a kiss. Erik sighed, letting his eyes fall closed as he held Charles’ face in his hands. Finally, he pressed his lips to Charles’ forehead and smiled, “I’m doing it again.”

“I’m flattered, actually. It means you want to stay.” He pulled back and eyed Erik carefully. “So, say ‘yes’?”

Erik thought about Peter. He thought about the surprised relief he saw there when he moved between his son and the Sentinel. He thought about how many more would come after his children and Charles’ in the future. He thought about Ororo who didn’t quite trust herself after Apocalypse. He thought about Raven who still believed he could be worth saving.

He thought about Hank who did not. He thought about all of those civilians who cowered more from him than the Sentinel in the mall. He thought about the years spent hiding as he moved through Europe before he met Magda and settled down. He thought about the men who killed his wife and daughter. The men who rounded up his parents. The men who were just ‘following orders’. He thought about all the people out there who would sooner allow the children in this school to be imprisoned than let them go to school beside their own children.

If he stayed, he’d be helping to teach these kids to protect the very people who would turn on them later. History continued to repeat itself. This would end in pain and bloodshed. If only Charles would see that.

If he didn’t stay, Raven would continue to train them. Events like today would happen again and Erik wouldn’t be there to protect them.

Leave and risk arriving too late to save his family. Stay and help protect them when the humans came after them again.

Erik lay back on the pillows, sighing when Charles rest his head on his chest. “I’ll be a nightmare. I won’t go easy on them.”

“So, nothing’s changed, then. Good to know,” Charles murmured. He sat up for a moment, a thoughtful look on his face. “You’re really doing this?”

Erik pulled him down for a kiss, savoring the feeling of holding Charles close and knowing he’d be here to do it again the next day. And the next. And the next.

 

|X|

 

Peter was pacing the hallway, nodding at the other students when they eyed him curiously. Okay, to them, it looked as though he was disappearing from one end of the hallway and reappearing at the other end. It may have been a little disconcerting. The door opened and Charles and Erik left the room without another glance at each other. Peter frowned, entering the room to see the library in perfect condition. Granted, it was a little gross to think about his dad and the professor getting it on but when that coupling meant his plan was successful, he’d power through the discomfort. He sighed and leaned against the doorframe. There was no sign of anything other than reading happening in this room.

“Oh my god, you did it,” he heard over his shoulder. He turned to see Raven watching him with wide eyes.

“What do you mean?”

“Look,” she pointed over his shoulder at the table, “The chess board.”

“And?” He was pretty sure there was no way to bone while playing chess.

“They haven’t played in here since before Cuba.” She squeezed his shoulder. “Good job kid. It worked.”

“Really?” He looked back at the table. It didn’t look like a big deal but Raven was gawking at it like it was. He smiled, his mood lifting. “That’s amazing.”

“You say that now but I know what this means,” she said with a smirk.

“What? Is it going to get gross? Are they big on PDA?”

“No, god no. I hope not, “ she murmured. She pet Peter on the shoulder again as she passed by him with a shout, “Have fun with Erik as your coach!”

“Wait – what? Raven!” he called after her. He sped up to catch up to her. “What do you mean?”

What had he done?


End file.
